Heddles for textile loom



Aug. 5,- 1969 I D. s. s. XAUS 3,459,237

HEDDLES FOR TEXTILE LOOM Filed April 13, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN'VENTOR o. ssnclo SE'IRRA x/ws ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 1969' D, s, 5. Us 3,459,237

HEDDLES FOR TEXTILE LOOM Filed April 13, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN ENT'DR o. ammo SERRA XAUS 5, 1969 b. s. s. XAUS 4 3,459,237

v HEDDLES FOR TEXTILE LOOM 13, 4 Sheets-sheet 3 INVENTOR D. SERGIO SERRA xAus Aug. 5, 1969 Xws 3,459,237

HEDDLES FOR TEXTILE 1100M Filed April 13. 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 5-.

mm; D. SERGIO SVERRA xnus ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,459,237 HEDDLES FOR TEXTILE LOOM Sergio Serra Xaus, Legalidad 12, Barcelona, Spain Filed Apr. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 542,329 Claims priority, appliczllggn 2Spain, Aug. 30, 1965,

Int. Cl. 1503c 9/06 US. Cl. 139-89 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to looms and, in particular, to a shedding mechanism for a loom.

The invention specifically includes a shedding mechanism in a loom which includes a heald frame and a control member for lowering the heald frame. The shedding mechanism includes a return mechanism for raising the heald frame and cable means for connecting the control member to the return mechanism. The return mechanism is positioned below and is connected to the heald frame so that, after the control member is operated to move the heald frame downwardly, the return mechanism functions to raise the heald frame upwardly after same has completed its downward stroke.

Embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of one embodiment of the present invention, same being shown partly in section.

FIGURE 2 is a partial end View, partially in section, of another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of still a further embodiment of the invention, same being shown partly in section.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of a device for adjusting the tension of a spring set utilized in the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of still a further embodiment of the present invention, same being shown partly in section.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a control member or dobby 1 rotatably mounted on a pivot 1a is connected to an arm 6 of a return means mechanism 7 through a chain 2, tension means 2' and a cable 2", the cable 2" being arranged to pass around pulleys 3 and 4 mounted on a beam 5, which beam comprises a portion of the frame of the loom. A link 8 is pivotally connected to the bottom of a heald frame 16 and to the outer end of the arm 6.

The return mechanism 7 includes a pair of oscillatory members 8a, 12 rotatably mounted on pivots 9, 13, respectively, and each having a toothed sector 10, 11, respectively, the teeth of the two sectors being in engagement with each other. The pivots 9, 13 are rotatably mounted on the housing 7a of the return mechanism 7. The arm 6 is secured to andextends radially from the oscillatory member 8a and a similar arm 14 is secured to and extends radially from the oscillatory member 12.

3,459,237 Patented Aug. 5., 1969 See Pivotally mounted on the free end of the arm 14 is a link 15 similar to the link 8 and similarly connected to the bottom of the heald frame 16, although spaced along the bottom of the frame 16 from the link 8.

Associated with each oscillatory member 8a, 12 is a set of parallel helical springs 18, 19, respectively, and each of the springs in each set 18, 19 are connected at one end to a common plate 20, 20', respectively, and at the other end to a common tensioning arm 21, 21. One end of a cable 22a is connected to the plate 20 of the set of springs 18 and the other end of the cable 22a is secured in a clamp 24 mounted on an extension 26 of the oscillatory member 12, the cable 22a passing around a pulley 22. Similarly, a cable 23a passing around a pulley 23 is secured at one end to the plate 20' of the set of springs 19 and at the other end to a clamp 25 mounted on an extension 27 of the oscillatory member 8a. Stops 28 and 28a are provided to limit rotation in a counterclockwise direction of the oscillatory member 12 and rotation in a clockwise direction of the oscillatory member 8a due to the biasing action of the spring sets 18 and 19 respectively.

In FIGURE 2, the apparatus, which is otherwise the same as that of the embodiment of FIGURE 1, has a single pulley 17 instead of two pulleys 3 and 4 as in the previous embodiment.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 3 is similar to that shown in FIGURE 2 except that the links 8 and 15 have been replaced by links 29 and 30 which are each secured at one end to a side 31 of the heald frame 16 by connection means 32.

Tension of the springs in the sets 18, 19 is adjusted by the apparatus shown in FIGURE 4. Each tensioning arm 21, 21' has a pair of links 39 pivotally connected to it, one at each end of the lever 21. The other end of each link is pivotally connected to a nut, there being two nuts 35, 36 each having a link 39 of the two tensioning levers connected to it. A screw threaded spindle 34 having a handwheel 33 receives the nuts 35, 36 and is arranged such that, on rotation of the handwheel 33 and the spindle 34, the nuts 35, 36 move toward or away from each other to thus displace the levers 21 relatively to one another and thereby vary the tension in the springs of the sets 18, 19. The movement may be effected by dividing the spindle 34 into two sections of opposite threads with a unt 35, 36 received on each section. The spindle 34 may be rotatably supported (not shown) on the frame 5 of the loom.

In operation, the control member 1 of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1-3 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 1a to lift the chain and cable arrangement (2, 2", 2" etc.), thereby rocking the arm 6 of the return means 7 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 9. Since the oscillating member 8a is geared to the oscillating member 12 through the toothed sectors 10 and 11, the member 12 rocks in a clockwise direction. Movement of the arms 6 and 14 due to counterclockwise rotation (FIGURES 1-3) of the control member 1 results in a downward displacement of the heald frame 16 through the connection of the links 8, 15 and the springs of the sets 18, 19 are tensioned. When the heald frame has reached its lowermost position, the control member 1 has completed its pivotal movement and the springs of the sets 18, 19 retract so as to rotate the oscillating members 8a and 12 and thus the arms 6 and 14 in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction respectively, thereby lifting the links 8 and 15 and raising the heald frame 16. Upward movement of the frame 16 is arrested when the arms 6, 14 abut the stop members 28a, 28, respectively. The cycle is then repeated.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 5, a control member or dobby 40 is connected by a cable 68 to an arm 41 of return mechanism 7. The arm 41 is connected to an oscillatory member 42 having a toothed sector 46 the teeth of which are in engagement with the teeth of a similar toothed sector 47 of a second oscillatory member 48 also having an arm 49. The arms 41 and 49 are connected to the bottom 44 of a heald frame 16' by means of links 43 and 50 respectively. Thus, when the control member 40 rotates in a counterclockwise direction about a pivot 40a (FIGURE 5), the arm 41 also moves in a counterclockwise direction due to the pull of the cable 68, and the oscillatory members 42, 48 counter rotate on their supporting shafts 45, 45 so that the arm 49 rotates in a clockwise direction with a result that the links 43, 50 move downwardly (FIGURE 5), thus lowering the heald frame 16'.

The heald frame 16' is raised due to the action of two sets of parallel helical springs 51, 52 which are tensioned when the oscillating members 42, 48 are rotated during the downward movement of the heald frame. Each of the springs of each set 51, 52 is connected at one end to a tensioning arm 53, 53, respectively, common to each set and mounted on the frame of the loom and at the other end to a plate 54, 54', respectively, common to each set. The plates 54, 54' are each pivotally connected to one end of a lever 55, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a portion of a cam 56 pivotally mounted on a shaft 57. A lever 58 connects the cam 56 to the oscillatory member 42. A similar arrangement (not shown) is provided for the oscillatory member 48.

The tensioning arm of each set of springs may be adjusted to vary the tension of the springs of the set. Depending on the kind of cloth to be woven, two, three or four springs may be used for each set of springs. As

shown in FIGURE 5, the oscillating member 48 has a second lever 59 which may be operated by means of a cable 59' so that the arrangement may be connected with a dobby or control member rather than through arm 41. The arrangement shown in FIGURE 5 also has a single return pulley 67 and a single cable 68. The pulley 67 is connected to a lever 66 by means of a cable 65.

The apparatus of the present invention thus provides for a tension return mechanism for controlling the movement of a heald frame without requiring any superstructure. It will be recognized that the apparatus of the present invention can be modified in form, or the assembly and dimensions.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for a loom, comprising:

a housing and a heald frame mounted for reciprocating movement relative to said housing;

first and second oscillatable members rotatably mounted on said housing, each of said oscillatable members having toothed peripheries in mutual meshing engagement with each other for causing simultaneous rotation of said oscillatable members;

first and second arms fixed to and extending outwardly from said first and second oscillatable members, respectively;

first and second pulleys rotatably mounted on said housing substantially adjacent said first and second oscillatable members, respectively; first spring means interconnected between said first oscillatable member and said housing for urging said first oscillatable member in a first rotational direction;

second spring means interconnected between said second oscillatable member and said housing for urging said second oscillatable member in one rotational direction;

first cable means passing over said first pulley and having the opposite ends thereof interconnected to said first oscillatable member and said first spring means;

second cable means passing over said second pulley and having the opposite ends thereof interconnected to said second oscillatable member and said second spring means;

first and second connecting means respectively conmeeting the ends of said first and second arms to said heald frame substantially adjacent the opposite ends thereof; and

means for causing movement of said heald frame and rotational movement of said oscillatable members in a rotational direction in opposition to said first and second spring means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second spring means each include a plurality of springs connected in parallel relationship with each other, and further including means for adjusting the tension of each of said first and second spring means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for causing movement of said heald frame in opposition to the urging of said first and second spring means includes a control lever pivotally mounted on said housing and third cable means connected between said control lever and an end portion of one of said arms, and a third pulley rotatably mounted on said housing with said third cable means passing over said third pulley.

4. An apparatus for controlling the position of a heald frame of a loom, comprising:

frame means;

a heald frame mounted on said frame means for reciprocating vertical movement;

first and second arm means pivotally mounted on said frame means, each of said arm means having a toothed peripheral portion in mutual meshing engagement with one another;

first connecting means extending from an end portion of said first arm means to a first point on said heald frame;

second connecting means extending from an end portion of said second arm means to a second point on said heald frame, said second point being spaced from said first point;

first pring means interconnected to said first arm means for urging same in a first rotational direction whereby the end portion of said arm means is moved upwardly to cause an upward movement of said heald frame, said first spring means including a plurality of parallel springs and means interconnecting one end of said plurality of springs to said first arm means;

second spring means interconnected to said second arm means for urging same in a second rotational direc tion whereby the end portion of said second arm means is moved upwardly to cause an upward movement of said heald frame, said second spring means including a plurality of parallel springs and means interconnecting one end of said plurality of springs to said second arm means; and

means for causing downward movement of said heald frame in opposition to the urging of said first and second spring means, said means including a movable control member and cable means connected between said control member and said first arm means for causing rotational movement of said first arm means in a rotational direction opposite said first direction for causing downward movement of said heald frame.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for causing downward movement of said heald frame includes a pulley rotatably mounted on said frame means, an intermediate portion of said cable means passing over said pulley.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means interconnecting the one end of said first spring means to said first arm means includes a pulley and cable means passing over said pulley, and wherein said means interconnecting the one end of said second spring means to said second arm means also includes a pulley and a cable passing over said pulley.

5 7. An apparatus according to claim 4, further including adjusting means interconnected to the other ends of the plurality of springs of said first and second spring means for permitting adjustment of the tension of said first and second spring means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,272 4/1954 Werner et a1. 13957 FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1900 Stafiord 139-89 10 HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner 

